Apollo Theatre, London – official theatre tickets – book THE APOLLO THEATRE, LONDON The Apollo Theatre: History and Information The West End's Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, London. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, it was the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street. The Apollo's doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American musical comedy The Belle of Bohemia. The production was followed by John Martin-Harvey's season, including A Cigarette Maker's Romance and The Only Way, an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. The Apollo Theatre was the first in London to be built in the Edwardian period, it was renovated by Schaufelberg in 1932, and a private foyer and ante room were installed to the Royal Box. The sculpted work on the stone fascia is by T. Simpson, the building is of plain brick to the neighbouring streets.

The Apollo Theater has a first floor central loggia, inside there is a three galleried auditorium with elaborate plasterwork.The theatre seats 796, and the balcony on the 3rd tier is considered the steepest in London. The Stoll Moss Group purchased the Apollo Theatre in 1975 and sold it to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Really Useful Group and Bridgepoint Capital in 2000. Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer purchased the theatre and several others in 2005, creating Nimax Theatres, which still owns the venue. Apollo Theatre: Production history The West End's Apollo Theatre has a rich and varied production history. George Edwards produced a series of successful Edwardian musical comedies, including Kitty Grey (1901), Three Little Maids and The Girl from Kays (1902). An English version of André Messager's light opera Véronique became a hit in 1904, starring with Ruth Vincent, who also starred in Edward German's Tom Jones in 1907. Between 1908 and 1912, the theatre hosted H. G.

Pelissier's The Follies. After this, the theatre hosted a variety of works, including seasons of plays by Charles Hawtrey in 1913, 1914 and 1924, and Harold Brighouse's Hobson's Choice in 1916. Gilbert Dayle's What Would a Gentleman Do? played in 1918. George Grossmith, Jr. and Edward Laurillard managed The Apollo Theatre from 1920 to 1923, presenting a series of plays and revivals, including Such a Nice Young Man by H.F. Maltby (1920) and the stage version of George Du Maurier's novel Trilby (1922). They had produced The Only Girl here in 1916 and Tilly of Bloomsbury in 1919. The Fake was produced in 1924, starring Godfrey Tearle. 1927 saw Abie's Irish Rose and Whispering Wires, with Henry Daniel. The next year, Laurence Olivier starred in R. C. Sherriff's Journey's End.

Sean O'Casey's The Silver Tassie and Ivor Novello's A Symphony in Two Flats both played in 1929. Diana Wynyard starred as Charlotte Brontë in Clemence Dane's Wild Decembers in 1932, and Raymond Massey starred in Robert Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize-winning Idiot's Delight in 1938. Patrick Hamilton's play Gaslight held the stage in 1939, and Terence Rattigan's Flare Path played in 1942. The Apollo Theatre was transferred to Prince Littler in 1944. John Clements and Kay Hammond starred in Noël Coward's Private Lives, and Margaret Rutherford starred in The Happiest Days of Your Life in 1948, followed by Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson in Treasure Hunt, directed by John Gielgud in 1949. After this, Seagulls Over Sorrento ran for over three years beginning in 1950.

The Apollo's longest run was the comedy Boeing Boeing, starring Patrick Cargill and David Tomlinson, which opened in 1962 and transferred to the Duchess Theatre in 1965. In 1968, Gielgud starred in Alan Bennett's Forty Years On and in 1969, he returned in David Storey's Home, with Ralph Richardson. He returned to the Apollo Theatre London in 1988, at the age of 83, for the production Best of Friends by Hugh Whitemore. A number of hit comedies transferred to or from The Apollo in the 1970s and 1980s, and other important plays at the theatre during this period included Rattigan's Separate Tables, with John Mills in 1976, Orphans in 1986 with Albert Finney, I'm Not Rappaport the same year, with Paul Scofield, and Dorothy Tutin, Eileen Atkins and Siân Phillips in Thursday's Ladies in 1987.

Driving Miss Daisy played in 1988, starring Wendy Hiller, and 1989 saw Zoe Wanamaker in Mrs Klein, Vanessa Redgrave in A Mad house in Goa, and Peter O'Toole in Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell. Penelope Wilton starred in Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea in 1993, and In Praise of Love played in 1995, with Peter Bowles. Mark Little starred in the Laurence Olivier Award-winning one-man show, Defending the Caveman in 1999. Apollo Theatre: Recent Productions Side Man (2000) with Jason Priestley Fallen Angels (2000) with Felicity Kendal and Frances de la Tour A female version of The Odd Couple (2001) Star Quality (2001) with Penelope Keith and Una Stubbs Arthur Miller's The Price (2003) with Warren Mitchell The Goat or Who is Sylvia?

(2004) with Jonathan Pryce David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre (2005) with Patrick Stewart and Joshua Jackson Mary Stuart (2005) with Harriet Walter Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (2006) with Kathleen Turner Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke (2006) with Rosamund Pike The Glass Menagerie (2007) with Jessica Lange The Last Five Years (2007) Glengarry Glen Ross (2007) with Jonathan Pryce An Audience with the Mafia (2008) The Vortex (2008) with Felicity Kendal Divas (2008) Rain Man (2008) with Josh Hartnett and Adam Godley Three Days of Rain (2009) with James McAvoy and Nigel Harman Carrie's War (2009) with Prunella Scales Jerusalem (2010) All My Sons (2010) with David Suchet and Zoë Wanamaker Blithe Spirit (2011) with Alison Steadman Yes Prime Minister (2011) The Madness of George

 III (2012) Long Day's Journey Into Night (2012) with David Suchet Richard III and Twelfth Night (2012) with Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2013-2014, transferred to Gielgud Theatre ) Apollo Theatre: Current Production Lyric (London) - The Theatres Trust Lyric (London) 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, Westminster, London, W1D 7ES, England Website Details Built on an irregular site acquired from the Metropolitan Board of Works on completion of the newly-cut Shaftesbury Avenue, it was the third theatre (after the London Pavilion and the original Shaftesbury) built in this thoroughfare.

Intended for musical comedy but, after mid-1920s, used mainly as a Playhouse. The exterior, like many of C J Phipps’s theatres, is in unmonumental, almost domestic manner (compare the Vaudeville) of brick and stone with weakly-accented bays, variously treated with somewhat hesitant Franco-Flemish Renaissance details, gables and dormers. The left hand gable, with the name of the theatre has below it a tall arched doorway with broken scrolly pediment, looking like a main entrance but actually an exit. The entrances are at the right hand end, under an iron canopy. Considered in isolation, the exterior lacks excitement, but it forms the western-most element in an outstandingly valuable group comprising the Lyric, the Apollo, the Gielgud and the Queen’s, at the midst of one of the world’s greatest concentrations of working theatres. The façe to Great Windmill Street is of unusual historic interest, being the remaining part of a house (No 16) built in 1776 by Dr William Hunter, anatomist, as his home, anatomical theatre and museum.

The rear of the house was demolished to make way for the Lyric’s stage and the three-storey front portion (effectively one room’s depth) was remodelled internally to form a four-storey stack of dressing rooms. Despite all this and further alterations made in 1904, together with the painting over of the brickwork, it is still recognisable for what it once was and bears a commemorative blue plaque, erected by London County Council in 1952. The design of the theatre included shop premises on the Shaftesbury Avenue front, neither architecturally nor structurally separate, but nevertheless sold off by the London Residuary Body after the abolition of the GLC and before the theatre itself was handed over to The Theatres Trust (apart from its stage which, by historical accident, was not owned by the GLC). This piece of administrative vandalism will for ever compound the problems of a theatre whose planning was already uncomfortably tight and which has now been denied the one opportunity which might have existed for future improvement - a warning against leaving accountants in charge of matters of architectural and social consequence.

The auditorium, a sort of preliminary smaller-scale essay for Her Majesty’s of 1897 is, after recent redecoration, one of the most pleasing in London and rich in theatrical atmosphere. It has three balconies partly cantilevered from set-back columns. The straight sides of the dress circle are divided into three boxes. Above this the balconies are of circular plan and all three terminate against the superimposed boxes on either side of the stage. The top balcony front continues as a notional entablature to the pedestalled giant Corinthian columns which frame the boxes and carry the deep elliptical arch over the proscenium. The circular ceiling centre follows the line of the upper balcony. Pretty plasterwork, alabaster and later wood panelled finishes. The alterations and extensive redecoration by Michael Rosenauer in 1932 mainly affected the entrance vestibule, crush room and stalls bar. His work was in a rather plain, inoffensive manner, with walnut panelling and mirrors. It is a matter of great good fortune that Phipps's auditorium, although altered, was not at that time completely devastated in the name of passing fashion.

The RHWL refurbishment has nicely reconciled the Phipps and Rosenauer works. The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.1 The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.1 Above - The Lyric Theatre during the run of ''Thriller' in April 2014 - Photo M. L. The Lyric Theatre opened on the 17th of December 1888 with a Comic Opera called 'Dorothy' by B.C. Stephenson. This production had originally opened at the first Gaiety Theatre , then transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre , where it achieved 817 performances, before transferring to the Lyric for this new Theatre's opening. The Lyric was the second Theatre to be built fronted onto the newly constructed Shaftesbury Avenue, the first was the original Shaftesbury Theatre which opened two months earlier in October 1888 .

However, the London Pavilion which opened in 1885 can really lay claim to being the true first Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue because a large bulk of the building runs along it, however, although it had entrances on that street, its main entrance was on Piccadilly Circus. Right - A Programme for 'Othello' at the Lyric Theatre in 1897 - Click to see Entire Programme. The Lyric Theatre forms part of a block which includes the Apollo Theatre and the Windmill Theatre , but the Lyric takes up most of the frontage of the block. The Lyric's stage door and dressing rooms are on Great Windmill Street, next to the Windmill's main entrance, and it used to have a Gallery entrance on Archer Street at the back of the Theatre. The Lyric is now one of four Theatres in a row on Shaftesbury Avenue; the others being the Apollo , Gielgud , and Queens . The Lyric Theatre was designed by the well known Theatre Architect C. J. Phipps and built for Henry J. Leslie by Messrs Stephens and Bastow.

Left - The auditorium and stage of the Lyric Theatre in 1889 - From 'London Theatres and Music Halls' by Dianna Howard - The original is at the British Museum . Henry Leslie financed the building of his new Theatre from the profits of 'Dorothy' from which he apparently made the huge sum, at the time, of £100,000. The Theatre's Freehold is today owned by the Theatres Trust. Above - The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. Above - A Drawing of the Front Elevation of the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto.

Above - A Longitudinal Section of the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. Above - Ground Plans for the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. The Lyric Theatre's Windmill Street Facade is interesting in that it is actually the remains of a house which once stood there. The house was built in 1766 by Dr William Hunter, who was an anatomist, partly as a home and partly as an anatomical theatre and museum. Internally the house was gutted to make way for the Lyric's dressing rooms but externally it is still much in its original form. The rear of the house was demolished so that the Lyric's stage could be built on the site.

On the Windmill Street Facade today there is a Blue Plaque to commemorate the original building. Right - The Lyric Theatre's Windmill Street Facade showing the remains of the house that once stood there, now the Lyric's dressing room block and stage door entrance. M. L. 06. The Lyric Theatre's partly cantilevered auditorium was built on four levels, Stalls and Pit, Dress Circle, Upper Circle, and Gallery, and had a capacity on opening of 1,306. Today the Gallery is called the Balcony and the Theatre seats a more modest 967. The stage at the Lyric was large for a playhouse with a width of 29' 6" and depth of 36'. Left - An early postcard showing the Lyric and Apollo Theatres side by side in Shaftesbury Avenue. The Theatre is unusual in that it still uses water to operate its iron curtain. Originally this was pumped from the Thames to most of the Theatres and Hotels around London's West End , and used to hydraulically operate lifts and all manor of heavy machinery.

Today the Lyric's Iron Curtain is operated via an electric pump but can also be operated manually by two people at a time, though it's a very labour intensive job, and slow too. Right - The Lyric Theatre during the run of 'Grab me a Gondola' in 1958 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins . The Lyric was equipped with five hydraulic bridges in its stage shortly after it was built, more information on these can be found below , however these were later removed and a large revolve was installed instead, which is still operable today, either by a huge and ancient electric rectifier or by hand. Above Left - A Programme for 'The Medal and The Maid,' a musical comedy with Ada Reeve and Ruth Vincent produced at the Lyric Theatre during the end of the Forbes-Robertson season in April 1903 . And Right - A Programme for 'The Duchess Of Dantzic,' a romantic opera by Henry Hamilton, produced at the Lyric Theatre during the end of the Forbes-Robertson season in October 1903 , a musical version of the story of Napoleon, which ran for 236 performance.

Above - A Seating Plan for the Lyric Theatre, date unknown, possibly mid 1920s Shortly after the Lyric Theatre was opened a set of five bridges were installed in its stage, operated by hydraulic rams, rather like those still in place at the Theatre royal, Drury Lane . Today they are long gone but Edwin O Sachs reported on them in his 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres', published between 1896 and 1898 saying:- 'As regards the installation at the Lyric' Theatre London, it consisted of five sets of bridges supported by hydraulic rams and placed towards the rear of the stage proper. Right - A Plan of the Bridges installed in the Lyric Theatre's Stage after the Theatre had opened - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. In the illustrations of this installation, Fig. 124 (shown below left) is a section showing the character the appliances without any regard to the construction of the stage, while Fig.

123 (shown right) is a corresponding plan showing the position of the bridges with their pipage. The appliances at the Lyric Theatre were the first of their kind, and their construction apparently took some time, for the work was spread over a period of fifteen months. On the other hand, the outlay was comparatively small, for the cost of the five bridges fully installed was only 867l. The work of erection, I should add, was carried out after the theatre had been opened. Four of the bridges may be termed bridges proper, for they only rise to stage floor level, but a fifth and larger bridge can be taken 10 feet (3 .04 metres) above this level. The loads for the first four bridges are each calculated at two tons, whilst that of the fifth bridge is three tons. The stage has only one mezzanine and the height from the cellar floor to stage at curtain line is 17 feet 3 inches (5.25 metres).

There are, of course, two rams to each bridge, and for the four front bridges the diameter of the rams is 3-¼ inches (90 millimetres), whilst for the larger one the diameter is 4 inches (100 millimetres). The consumption of water for the rise of any of the front bridges is twelve gallons, whilst twenty-nine gallons are required to raise the large bridge a total height of 27 feet (8.20 metres), or 10 feet (3 metres) above the stage floor level. The installation should be considered simply in the light of a set of five ordinary hydraulic lifts which chance to have been added to a stage. There is nothing essentially different from similar hoists or elevators elsewhere or anything calling for special comment. And yet this application of water power at the Lyric Theatre, with the view of assisting theatrical effects, marks an important step in the improvement of stage mechanism in this country.

Left - A Section Plan of the Bridges installed in the Lyric Theatre's Stage after the Theatre had opened - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. The Lyric ' installation was the first of its kind in this metropolis. Again reverting to the Drury Lane stage, I take the opportunity of saying that the production of the pantomime of Christmas 1896 , marked the first adoption of hydraulic machinery for spectacular effects in one of our largest London theatres. The late Sir Augustus Harris had for many years been considering the advisability of installing hydraulic machinery at the Drury Lane Theatre , and at the Covent Garden Opera House , but had, as the lessee to consider the financial outlay and the time it would occupy to set up the appliances. Shortly before his death, however, he decided to order two large bridges for the first-named establishment. These appliances were primarily intended to facilitate the presentation of a large shipwreck scene.

The machinery for these two bridges was ordered from Austria, but unfortunately show lines almost identical with those of the earliest Asphaleia work of 1881 , instead of the more recent foreign types mentioned in these pages... Above - The Drury Lane Lifts in action in the late 1890s - From 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres' by Edwin O Sachs, Published 1896 - 1898 , and held at the Library of the Technical University (TU) in Delft - Kindly sent in by John Otto. ...Each bridge measures 4.0 feet (12.9 metres) by 7 feet 6 inches (2.28 metres) and can be raised to nearly 12 feet (3.65 metres) above stage floor line, whilst the fall under the stage is 9 feet (2.74 metres). The two bridges adjoin one another, and are only divided from each other and from the surrounding floor by flaps (Casettenklappen) which are fixed to the slab of the bridge.

The appliances sent from Austria had, by the bye, to be adapted to suit English requirements in respect to hydraulic pressure for though the supply by the hydraulic mains is not more than 700lbs., the valves and cylinders can only stand a much lower pressure, and reducing valves had, therefore, to be introduced. The cylinders, I would here add, have an abnormally large diameter of about 17 inches (0.43 metre) each. As both bridges are used together, it is curious that no system of coupling has been adopted, since the separate regulation of each bridge, even when in competent hands, is a matter of great difficulty, and the rise between the two 'bridge,' certainly fluctuates to the extent of a few inches during the movement. However limited the installation at Drury Lane may be, it is certainly a move in the right direction, and those responsible for the economy of this institution recognise that for pantomime and transformation work a great saving in the wage list should be arrived at by the adoption of modern methods.

It is, perhaps, interesting to note that even with two hydraulic bridges at work there are still over 100 men employed in shifting scenery during a production of a pantomime ...' The above text in quotes (edited), and its accompanying images, were first published in Edwin O Sachs' 'Modern Opera Houses and Theatres', 1896 / 1898 . Above - Shaftesbury Avenue in June 1977 showing the Lyric, Apollo , Globe , and Queen's Theatres - Photo M.L. 1977. I worked at the Lyric Theatre myself from 1975 for 4 years, and the lighting board at that time was one of the early Rank Strand Console Desks (CD) (Shown Right). The cabinet was fashioned from an organ and it even had pedals and tabs to operate lighting groups. This CD board was the two preset version which made life much easier as the original version, used at Her Majesty's Theatre at the same time, had organ keys instead of presets. Although I worked there too in 1974, I was never able to fathom out how to operate the thing. There are some photos of it here .

Right - The Lighting Console Desk at the Lyric Theatre in 1976. Photo M.L. The board at the Lyric also had a speed control which was like a large accelerator on a car. You had to push the pedal harder with your foot to create faster lighting changes. On matinees the electricity supply was always at a lower voltage than in the evenings so that you had to increase the speed to attain the same lighting fade times. Left - A Programme for 'The Gold Diggers' at the Lyric Theatre in 1926, which ran for 180 performances. The Console, situated at the back of the Dress Circle, in the bar conveniently, was connected to dimmer racks in the basement under the stage, and these consisted of huge racks of massive dimmers operated by a large motor and clutches. When doing a fast lighting cue you could sometimes hear the motor screaming under the stage from the Stalls. The tabs you can see in the picture above right were used to select which channels you wanted to move in the next lighting change, and groups of these could be selected at once by using stops which were to the right of the Console.

When you pulled the stops out the tabs would jump down and the whole desk would thump and 'ding' like a pinball machine. It could take up to two minutes to set all the faders on the presets for the next cue so that rapid lighting changes were something of a challenge. Nowadays lighting is all done with computers and mostly at the touch of one button, and whilst this is far more efficient and versatile it certainly isn't anything like the adrenaline inducing operation of a Rank Strand Console Desk. The Lyric's basement areas used to include an area which stretched right up to the underneath of the pavement of Shaftesbury Avenue and housed Crew Rooms, offices and other areas, and above were shops, but the whole section was sold off by the London Residue Body when the GLC was abolished and before the Freehold was given to the Theatre's Trust. This has made further expansion of the Theatre impossible, indeed it now has less space than it used to. Luckily the stage area was not owned by the GLC or that might have gone too when it was abolished.

Right - Programme for 'The Flashing Stream' at the Lyric Theatre in 1938 with Godfrey Tearle and Margaret Rawlings, which ran for 201 performances. The Lyric Theatre has been home to a great many successful productions in its time, far too many to list here, but recent successes include 'Blood Brothers' in 1983, which won several awards and, although it only ran for 6 months at the Lyric, went on to tour the country before a new production arrived in the West End at the Albery Theatre , where it was a great success, eventually transferring to the Phoenix where, remarkably, it ran from 1991 until 2012; 'Five Guys Named Mo' in 1990 which ran for five years; 'Cabaret' which was a very popular production in 2006, and 'Thriller Live' which opened in January 2009 and is still there in 2014. Left - The Lyric Theatre stage door and Windmill Theatre entrance in June 1977.

The CZ Motorcycle parked by The Lyric Theatre hoardings belonged to the late Sir Ralph Richardson who was also an avid BMW Motorcycle owner, he was appearing at the Lyric at the time, in 'The Kingfisher'. The other bike was mine. - Photo M.L. 1977. The Lyric Theatre is currently run by Nimax Theatres whose own website can be found here . Above - The Lyric Theatre during the run of 'Cabaret' in October 2006 Above - The Lyric and Apollo Theatres in Shaftesbury Avenue looking towards Piccadilly Circus - Photo M.L. 2006 - Click for London's West End Theatres page. Above - The Lyric, Apollo , Gielgud , and Queen's Theatres in Shaftesbury Avenue looking towards Cambridge Circus - Photo M.L. 2006 - Click for London's West End Theatres page.

Gielgud Theatre Gielgud Theatre Gielgud Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, , London, W1D 6AR Designed by W.G.R.Sprague in 1906.Originally called the Hicks Theatre then The Globe in 1909 and in 1995 changed to the Gielgud. Tall, handsome wooden doors lead from the street into cool atrium and delightful butterscotch foyer ornamented with gold mirrors. Like its neighbours, the Apollo, Lyric and Queens theatres which line Shaftesbury Avenue between Piccadilly Circus and Cambridge Circus it is now owned by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres. What’s on at the Gielgud Theatre? Facilities at the Gielgud Theatre Facilities for Hard of Hearing? Infrared Disabled Access? Yes Air-conditioning? Yes Other Facilities? "Guide Dogs permitted. A VIP room at the back of the Dress Circle is available for hire. " Bars at the Gielgud Theatre: 3: Foyer, Stalls and Dress Circle Toilets at the Gielgud Theatre: Stalls: 2 x Ladies, 1 x gents. Dress Circle: Ladies and Gents.

Upper Circle2 x Ladies 1 x Gents General Notes: How to Get To The Gielgud Theatre By Tube: The nearest tube station to the Gielgud Theatre is the Piccadilly Circus By Bus: The bus routes that pass close to the Gielgud Theatre are:14, 19, 38 (please check for up to date information at ) By Train: The nearest train station is Closest Parking: 2 spaces for blue badge holders in Archer Street. Westminter City Council car park at Poland Street and China Town. NCP at Wardour Street, Newport Place, Denman Street, Lexington Street.

Do check up to date car park information at Hotels near the Gielgud Theatre Three star hotels: Strand Thistle Piccadilly Four star hotels: Thistle Royal Trafalgar Five star hotels: Le Meridien Previous Shows at the Gielgud Theatre: Blithe Spirit, Strangers on a Train, Private Lives, The Audience, Chariots of Fire, Yes Primeminister, The LadyKillers WHERE TO EAT AROUND THEATRELAND Attractions BLOG : WHERE TO EAT AROUND THEATRELAND You know heading into London's West End there is going to be plenty of choice of where to eat around theatreland, but you have already probably forked out a hefty sum on tickets, got transport or parking to pay so where can you go to eat that is offering good food at a fair value? There are many restaurants in the area that offer pre or post theatre menus often representing a great saving. Theatre Restaurants near Shaftesbury Avenue London - Home to many of the West End’s most famous theatres, the Shaftesbury Avenue area up to Tottenham Court Road is full of restaurants for both pre and post theatre dining.

Nearby theatres include: Lyric Theatre, Apollo Theatre, Gielgud Theatre, Queens Theatre, Palace Theatre, Ambassador Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Dominion Theatre and Prince Edward Theatre. Our recommendation? Arbutus restaurant, a Michelin Star restaurant offering a stunning 3 course pre theatre menu. Theatre Restaurants in Covent Garden - Covent Garden is at the very heart of London’s theatre land so the choice of restaurants for pre or post theater dinner is huge. Nearby theatres include: Aldwych Theatre, Novello Theatre, Duchess Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Fortune Theatre, New London Theatre, Savoy Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre, Adelphi Theatre and Covent Garden Opera House. Our recommendation? Indigo restaurant, situated at 1 Aldwych in the luxurious surroundings of the One Aldwych Hotel and offering a creative European menu. Theatre Restaurants near London Piccadilly - Famous the world over, Piccadilly Circus is one of London’s top destinations and offers many places to dine before or after a show at one of the very many nearby Piccadilly theatres.

Nearby theatres include: Piccadilly Theatre, Criterion Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Our recommendation? Veeraswamy restaurant, noted as the oldest Indian restaurant in the UK, the legendary institution that is Veeraswamy is on Regent Street and is a fabulous dining destination for theatre goers. Theatre Restaurants in St Martins Lane Covent Garden - St Martins Lane is one of London’s most central theatre areas, close to Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square. It is probably the most famous part of Covent Garden’s theatre land and offers numerous dining options. Nearby theatres include: Wyndham’s Theatre, Noel Coward Theatre, Duke of York’s Theatre, Coliseum, Garrick Theatre, Arts Theatre, St Martins Theatre, Cambridge Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Trafalgar Studios and The Playhouse Theatre. Our recommendation? The Portrait Restaurant & Bar, located in the National Gallery and with a lovely view over Trafalgar Square, enjoy this modern British menu. So now you know where to eat around theatreland go book your theatre tickets for a night out in the West End!

Please note: Opinions expressed on the londontheatredirect.com blog are those of the relevant contributors, not of London Theatre Direct Ltd, its owners or staff. London Theatre Direct Ltd is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by contributors. Find a show Apollo (London) - The Theatres Trust Apollo (London) Shaftesbury Avenue, Westminster, London, W1D 7EZ, England Websites Images from the English Heritage archive Details The Apollo, externally, is quite unlike any other theatre of its time in London. Its architectural and historic significance is underestimated. Together with the Lyric, the Gielgud and the Queens, all grouped on the north side of Shaftesbury Avenue, the Apollo contributes to one of London’s most important Theatreland streetscapes. This was Sharp’s only complete theatre (he made major alterations to Camberwell Palace in 1908). The main facade is in a free Renaissance style with a distinct Art Nouveau flavour; Portland stone, in three main storeys with a tall attic above the cornice; three major bays, the outer two treated as pavilions with flat canted fronts around which the main cornice breaks.

Prettily framed oeil-de-boeuf windows to the attic, heavy cornice, balcony with shouldered and eared architraves to windows. The pavilion attics are treated as short, flat-domed towers with striking figure sculpture (pairs of winged female Muse figures with flowing drapery) by T Simpson. Well restored iron and glass canopy over entrance with timber and glass front entrance doors. Flank and rear facades in red brick. Lively auditorium with splendid plaster enrichment in Louis XIV manner, updated by Shaufelberg in 1932 to include, amongst others, pendant light and proscenium sconces. Three cantilever balconies terminating in elaborately modelled serpentine-fronted boxes. A riot of decorative plasterwork including Phoenix, atlantid, mythical sea monsters and musical instruments. Bolection moulded panels on three levels. Also Putti, heraldic lions and touch of life motifs and mahogany doors throughout. Proscenium arch with bold architrave moulding, lyre-buckled at intervals. Relief of Apollo and Muses in tympanum over proscenium. Finely enriched oval ceiling on pendatives.

Decorative foyer and anteroom to Royal Box. Modern stalls bar. Nimax Theatres | Theatres - Apollo Theatre Book online or call 0330 333 4809 Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is located on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End. The theatre is owned and operated by Nimax Theatres and has 658 seats currently over three levels. We look forward to welcoming you at the Apollo Theatre soon! Information Auditorium The auditorium is currently split on 3 levels with a total of 658 seats (327 in the Stalls, 172 in the Dress Circle, 135 in the Grand Circle, and 24 in Boxes). The stage measures 9.2m x 8.8m. Stalls Bar (17.8m x 7m) Facilities include split level lounge bar with direct access to toilets. 60 (Seated), 100 (standing reception), 12(Seated), 50 (standing reception). Upper Circle Bar (7.2m x 3.6m) Facilities include lounge bar with access to toilets.

40 (Seated), 80 (standing reception). History Named for the Greek god of the arts and leader of the muses, because it was designed and built as a venue for musical entertainment, The Apollo Theatre first opened its doors in February 1901. The first production, The Belle of Bohemia, was not a particular success and Tom B Davis quickly acquired the leasehold in 1902. Early musical successes at the theatre included Kitty Grey, Three Little Maids and The Girl from Kay’s, all presented by George ‘Gaiety’ Edwardes. The light opera Veronique (1904) with music by André Messager starred Ruth Vincent and was big hit. Cicely Courtneidge made her London debut in Tom Jones (1907) with music by Edward German, and from 1908 until 1912 the theatre was home to H G Pelissier’s The Follies. From then on the policy for musical comedy was replaced with far more varied fare, the most successful of which, during the First World War, was Harold Brighouse’s Hobson’s Choice (1916).

In 1920 the actor George Grossmith and Edward Laurillard became managers, presiding over a series of plays and revivals, including George Du Maurier’s Trilby (1922), during the next three years. Subsequent successes under various managements were Abie’s Irish Rose (1927), Sean O’Casey’s The Silver Tassie (1929), A Symphony in Two Flats (1929) by Ivor Novello and John van Druten’s There’s Always Juliet (1931). Star casting included Diana Wynyard as Charlotte Bronte in Clemence Dane’s Wild Decembers (1932) and Raymond Massey in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Idiot’s Delight (1938) by Robert Sherwood.

A string of popular plays followed with Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight (1939), Terence Rattigan’s Flare Path (1942), John Clements and Kay Hammond in Noël Coward’s Private Lives, Margaret Rutherford in The Happiest Days of Your Life (1948) and Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson in Treasure Hunt (1949) directed by John Gielgud. Prince Littler took control in 1944 and presided over some of the theatre’s most popular productions. Seagulls Over Sorrento (1950) ran for over three years but the theatre’s longest run was Boeing Boeing (1962) which starred Patrick Cargill and David Tomlinson. The play eventually transferred to the Duchess in 1965. Sir John Gielgud was literally the Head of the cast in Alan Bennett’s Forty Years On (1968) and returned to play opposite Ralph Richardson in David Storey’s Home (1969).

He was to make one of his last stage appearances here as well, at the age of 83, in Hugh Whitemore’s Best of Friends (1988). Hit comedies became the norm, often transferring from, or to, other theatres – Terry Scott in The Mating Game (1972), Why Not Stay for Breakfast (1973), Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests (1974), Donald Sinden in Shut Your Eyes and Think of England (1977), Middle Aged Spread (1980) with Richard Briers and Paul Eddington, Season’s Greetings (1982), Gerald Moon’s Corpse (1984) in which Keith Baxter played twins opposite Milo O’Shea, Don’t Dress For Dinner (1991), Tony Slattery in Tim Firth’s Neville’s Island (1994) and Ben Elton’s Popcorn (1997).

Notable plays and performances were John Mills in Rattigan’s Separate Tables (1976), Albert Finney in Orphans (1986), Paul Scofield in I’m Not Rappaport (1986), Dorothy Tutin, Eileen Atkins and Sian Phillips in Thursday’s Ladies (1987), Wendy Hiller in Driving Miss Daisy (1988), Zoe Wanamaker in the National Theatre’s Mrs Klein (1989), Vanessa Redgrave in A Mad house in Goa (1989), Peter O’Toole in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell (1990), Penelope Wilton in The Deep Blue Sea, Peter Bowles in In Praise of Love (1995) and Sleuth (2002), Jason Priestley in Side Man (2000), Penelope Keith in Star Quality (2001), Felicity Kendal and Frances De La Tour in Fallen Angels (2000), Warren Mitchell in The Price (2003) and Jonathan Pryce in The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (2004).

Successful one-person performances have included Michael MacLiammoir in The Importance of Being Oscar (1960), Barrie Humphries as Edna Everage Housewife Superstar (1976), Emlyn Williams as Saki (1977), Peter Barkworth as Siegfried Sassoon (1987), Tom Conti in Jesus My Boy (1998), Mark Little in the Olivier Award-winning Defending the Caveman (1999) and Dawn French in My Brilliant Divorce (2003). From 1975 the Apollo was part of the Stoll Moss Group until purchased by Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Really Useful Group and Bridgepoint Capital in 2000, making it one of eleven Really Useful Theatres in London’s West End. In September 2005, during the run of The Big Life, veteran producers Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer purchased the Apollo Theatre, along with the Lyric, Garrick and Duchess Theatres, creating Nimax Theatres. The Vaudeville Theatre completes the Nimax portfolio.

Subsequent productions have included the transfer of Schiller’s Mary Stuart from the Donmar Warehouse, an award-winning performance from Kathleen Turner in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Fool for Love, Summer and Smoke, The Glass Menagerie, Kean, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Vortex, Rain Man starring Josh Hartnett and Adam Godley, Three Days of Rain, Carrie’s War, The Gruffalo and comedy seasons with Rob Brydon, Ross Noble and Dylan Moran. In January 2010 the award-winning production of Jez Butterworth’s contemporary play Jerusalem transferred from the Royal Court for a record-breaking season, which was followed by Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, starring David Suchet and Zoë Wanamaker, and The Country Girl.

Mark Fox with thanks to George Hoare Space Website Footer The Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.1 Formerly Hicks Theatre / Globe Theatre The Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.1 Formerly - The Hicks Theatre / The Globe Theatre Above - The Gielgud Theatre in April 2014 during the run of 'Blithe Sprit' with Angela Lansbury who had returned to the West End for the first time in nearly forty years - Photo M. L. The Gielgud Theatre is situated on London's Shaftesbury Avenue and originally opened as the Hicks Theatre on the 27th of December 1906 with a musical play called 'The Beauty of Bath' by Seymour Hicks and Cosmo Hamilton for whom the Theatre was built. The Theatre was designed by the well known and prolific Theatre Architect W. G. R. Sprague and was one of two Theatres designed by him next to each other on Shaftesbury Avenue. Right - A Programme for 'Brewster's Millions' at the Hicks Theatre in 1907 , shortly after the Theatre opened.

The play ran for 321 performances - Courtesy Crispin Cockman - Click for details. Left - A rare image of the Hicks Theatre, from a Programme for 'Brewster's Millions' at the Hicks in 1907 . The first of the two Theatres to open was the Hicks, on the 27th of December 1906 , and then shortly afterwards the Queen's which opened on the 8th of October 1907 . Both Theatres were built by Walter Wallis of Balham with frontages of Portland Stone on a site which was formerly an estate agent's premises, comprising of 35 to 49 Shaftesbury Avenue. There were also seventeen houses previously standing on the site of the Two Theatres in Wardour Street, Rupert Street, and Upper Rupert Street, (now Winnet street). The Queen's Theatre was originally a twin with the Hicks, although slightly larger, but it was seriously damaged by bombs during the Second World War and suffered considerable damage to its front of house areas, and especially to its Facade which was completely destroyed.

The Queen's Theatre remained closed for nearly 20 years before being rebuilt on more modern lines and reopening in 1959. The Hicks Theatre was renamed the Globe Theatre in July 1909 . Right - A Programme for 'The Village' at the Globe Theatre in 1927. Above - The Globe Theatre during the run of 'Nude With Violin' in 1958 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins Above - A Seating Plan for the Globe Theatre, probably 1920s The auditorium of the Globe Theatre, formerly the Hicks Theatre, had a capacity of 970 and was constructed on three levels, Stalls, Upper Circle, and Gallery. Left - A Programme for 'Call It A Day' at the Globe Theatre in 1935. The play opened in October 1935 and ran for 509 performances. Right - A Programme for 'Biography' at the renamed Globe Theatre in 1934 .

Although the Upper is now called the Dress, and the Gallery is now known as the Upper, and the boxes were removed from the rear of the Upper in 1950, the Theatre remains in much the same form as it did in 1906 . This Globe Theatre should not be confused with the Globe Theatre on Newcastle Street, which was demolished when London's Aldwych, named after the Old Wych Street , was constructed. Left - A Programme for 'Call It A Day' at the Globe Theatre in 1936. The play opened in October 1935 and ran for 509 performances. And Right - A Programme for 'They Came by Night' at the Globe Theatre in 1937. This vast operation began in the last years of the nineteenth century and was not finally completed until after the First World War. Four Theatres were demolished during the early stages of the work. The Olympic Theatre in Wych Street and the Opera Comique in the Strand were closed in 1899 , the Globe Theatre in Newcastle Street shut its doors in 1902 . This was followed by the closure of the Gaiety Theatre in the Strand in June of the same year.

The Hicks Theatre, or the Globe Theatre as it was known from 1909 , was renamed yet again in 1994, this time to the Gielgud Theatre. This was partly in celebration of John Gielgud but mainly because the newly opened recreation of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on London's South Bank would have caused major confusion to the Theatre going public if there were two Globe Theatres in one City. Left - A Programme for 'Robert's Wife' at the Globe Theatre in 1938. Right - A Programme for 'While The Sun Shines' at the Globe Theatre in 1943. Above - A Programme for 'The Prisoner' with Alec Guinness at the Globe Theatre in 1954. Above - Shaftesbury Avenue in June 1977 showing the Lyric , Apollo , Globe, and Queen's Theatres Photo M.L. 1977. Above - The Gielgud Theatre during the run of 'The Canterbury Tales' in October 2006.

Above - Shaftesbury Avenue showing four of London's West End Theatres in a row, the Lyric Theatre , the Apollo Theatre , the Gielgud Theatre, and the Queen's Theatre in October 2006 - Photo M.L. Above - A Photograph showing the Gielgud Theatre and the Queen's Theatre in October 2006 - Photo M.L. The Gielgud and the Queen's were both designed by W. G. R. Sprague as a pair. Above - The Gielgud Theatre in March 2007 during the run of Peter Shaffer's 'Equus' with Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths, and whilst refurbishment work to the frontage was being carried out. Above - The Gielgud Theatre during the run of 'Hair' in April 2010 The Gielgud Theatre is currently owned and run by Delfont Macintosh Theatres . You may like to visit the Theatre's own website here .

Question: On which London thoroughfare are the Lyric, Apollo, Gielgud and Queen's theatres?
Answer: SHAFTESBURY AVENUE